Lennon starting to imagine Fabio will pick him again soon for England

06 March 2009 09:24

Aaron Lennon thinks he is ready. So do Harry Redknapp and Robbie Keane. All that remains is for Fabio Capello to subscribe to the idea and make the call which would end Lennon's international exile.

It is almost two years since he was last picked for England's senior team, part of an unconvincing win against Andorra under Steve McClaren.

Since then he has fought back from a knee operation, served his time in Stuart Pearce's successful Under 21 team, knuckled down to secure his Tottenham

place amid competition from David Bentley and repackaged himself as a more mature version of the jet-heeled teen terror who dazzled in the 2006 World Cup finals.

'I'm the fittest I've ever been and I'm playing the best I've ever played,' said Lennon, who is still only 21. 'Harry has given me confidence and encouraged people to give me the ball more. I'm starting to read the game a lot better. I know what defenders are trying to do.'

Capello is on to Lennon's form surge. The England manager was at Wembley for Sunday's Carling Cup final to see him run circles round Patrice Evra, one of the world's finest full backs, and at White Hart Lane on Wednesday, where he scored twice against Middlesbrough.

Spurs captain Keane has also noticed new maturity in the youngster since he returned to the club from Liverpool in January. Keane said: 'He's a big player and I don't see any reason why he shouldn't be in the England squad.'

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